VOTERS in Texas have had three electoralexcitements lately. The first was that in February,after a series of rejections, federal judges in SanAntonio finally approved a new map for the statescongressional districts, meaning that Texas couldfinally set a date for its primary . Thesecond is that their votes may actually matter a lotin the race for the Republican presidentialnomination. The third came on March 12th, whenthe Justice Department blocked a controversialstate law, passed last year, which would haverequired people to produce identification carrying a photograph before voting.

　　德克薩斯的選民們近來經(jīng)歷了三件選舉興事。第一件事發(fā)生在二月，在一系列拒絕之后，聯(lián)邦法官們在圣安東尼奧市最終認(rèn)可了本州的國會選區(qū)的新地圖，意味著德克薩斯可以最終為他的候選人初選會確定一個日子。第二件事就是他們的選票事實上可能對共和黨首長任命的競爭有著舉足輕重的影響。第三件事發(fā)生在3月12，當(dāng)司法部門駁回了去年通過的有爭議的州法，關(guān)于要求選民在投票前照相作為身份證明的事。

　　As it stands almost 30 states require some form of identification at the polls, although mostof those do not require photographic ID. The Justice Department blocked a similar measurein South Carolina in December, and this week a judge in Wisconsin overturned a voter-identification law there on the ground that it was unconstitutional. Future cases areexpected; Alabama, for example, has a photo requirement scheduled to take effect in 2023.

　　以現(xiàn)狀來說，將近30個州在投票環(huán)節(jié)要求一定程度的身份認(rèn)證，盡管絕大多數(shù)都不要求照片方式的身份認(rèn)證。司法部12月在南卡羅來納州也駁回了類似的一項措施，并且在這周在威斯康星州的法官也推翻了那里的一項選民身份認(rèn)證法規(guī)，因為那條法規(guī)違反了憲法。未來的情況可以預(yù)見，比如阿拉巴馬，的照片要求預(yù)定將在2023生效。

　　Supporters of identification, who are usually Republicans, say it is a necessary protectionagainst voter fraud, even though the number of people who have been caught sneaking intothe polls is negligible. Democrats argue that such provisions have the effect ofdisenfranchising minorities, young people and the poor, who are more likely to lack suitableID than other groups . In Texas nearly 800,000 people wouldhave been affected. Because of the racial disparities, the Justice Department determinedthat this would be a violation of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, designed to bar discriminationat the polls.

　　身份認(rèn)證支持者，大部分是共和黨人聲稱那是對抗投票作弊的必要保護(hù)措施，盡管在投票中作弊的人數(shù)少到幾乎可以忽略。民主黨則爭論那樣的規(guī)定對剝奪少數(shù)人的權(quán)利有影響，年輕人和窮人，會比其他群體更可能缺少合適的證件。在德克薩斯將有將近800,000人受到影響。因為種族差異，司法部判定這是對在選票環(huán)節(jié)禁止歧視行為的1965年選舉權(quán)法的違背。

　　Since both political parties have an interest, both will press on. Rick Perry, the Republicangovernor of Texas, condemned the decision as an example of federal meddling. The law,he said, requires nothing more extensive than the type of photo identification necessaryto receive a library card or board an airplane.

　　因為雙方政黨都有利益取向，兩邊都將堅持。德克薩斯的州長Rick Perry責(zé)難的認(rèn)為這個決定又是聯(lián)邦越界干預(yù)的一個例子。他說原法案只限定要求了獲取圖書卡或是機(jī)票所必需的認(rèn)證照片的類型而已，并沒有更寬地限制什么。

　　That raises a good point. Identification is important; people often need it to get financialservices, or a job, or just books from the library. If hundreds of thousands of people in Texasdo not have it, that is a problem that should be fixed. No doubt both parties would agree. Butin the meantime people will, at least, be a little more confident about their ability to vote.

　　這是一個有力的觀點。因為身份認(rèn)證的確很重要，人們時時都需要用它來申請金融服務(wù)，工作，甚至借書。如果德克薩斯成千上萬的人都沒有它，那就是個一定要解決的問題了。毫無疑問在這點上兩黨都必須同意。但是至少在這期間人們更加堅信他們投票的權(quán)利。

　　VOTERS in Texas have had three electoralexcitements lately. The first was that in February,after a series of rejections, federal judges in SanAntonio finally approved a new map for the statescongressional districts, meaning that Texas couldfinally set a date for its primary . Thesecond is that their votes may actually matter a lotin the race for the Republican presidentialnomination. The third came on March 12th, whenthe Justice Department blocked a controversialstate law, passed last year, which would haverequired people to produce identification carrying a photograph before voting.

　　德克薩斯的選民們近來經(jīng)歷了三件選舉興事。第一件事發(fā)生在二月，在一系列拒絕之后，聯(lián)邦法官們在圣安東尼奧市最終認(rèn)可了本州的國會選區(qū)的新地圖，意味著德克薩斯可以最終為他的候選人初選會確定一個日子。第二件事就是他們的選票事實上可能對共和黨首長任命的競爭有著舉足輕重的影響。第三件事發(fā)生在3月12，當(dāng)司法部門駁回了去年通過的有爭議的州法，關(guān)于要求選民在投票前照相作為身份證明的事。

　　As it stands almost 30 states require some form of identification at the polls, although mostof those do not require photographic ID. The Justice Department blocked a similar measurein South Carolina in December, and this week a judge in Wisconsin overturned a voter-identification law there on the ground that it was unconstitutional. Future cases areexpected; Alabama, for example, has a photo requirement scheduled to take effect in 2023.

　　以現(xiàn)狀來說，將近30個州在投票環(huán)節(jié)要求一定程度的身份認(rèn)證，盡管絕大多數(shù)都不要求照片方式的身份認(rèn)證。司法部12月在南卡羅來納州也駁回了類似的一項措施，并且在這周在威斯康星州的法官也推翻了那里的一項選民身份認(rèn)證法規(guī)，因為那條法規(guī)違反了憲法。未來的情況可以預(yù)見，比如阿拉巴馬，的照片要求預(yù)定將在2023生效。

　　Supporters of identification, who are usually Republicans, say it is a necessary protectionagainst voter fraud, even though the number of people who have been caught sneaking intothe polls is negligible. Democrats argue that such provisions have the effect ofdisenfranchising minorities, young people and the poor, who are more likely to lack suitableID than other groups . In Texas nearly 800,000 people wouldhave been affected. Because of the racial disparities, the Justice Department determinedthat this would be a violation of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, designed to bar discriminationat the polls.

　　身份認(rèn)證支持者，大部分是共和黨人聲稱那是對抗投票作弊的必要保護(hù)措施，盡管在投票中作弊的人數(shù)少到幾乎可以忽略。民主黨則爭論那樣的規(guī)定對剝奪少數(shù)人的權(quán)利有影響，年輕人和窮人，會比其他群體更可能缺少合適的證件。在德克薩斯將有將近800,000人受到影響。因為種族差異，司法部判定這是對在選票環(huán)節(jié)禁止歧視行為的1965年選舉權(quán)法的違背。

　　Since both political parties have an interest, both will press on. Rick Perry, the Republicangovernor of Texas, condemned the decision as an example of federal meddling. The law,he said, requires nothing more extensive than the type of photo identification necessaryto receive a library card or board an airplane.

　　因為雙方政黨都有利益取向，兩邊都將堅持。德克薩斯的州長Rick Perry責(zé)難的認(rèn)為這個決定又是聯(lián)邦越界干預(yù)的一個例子。他說原法案只限定要求了獲取圖書卡或是機(jī)票所必需的認(rèn)證照片的類型而已，并沒有更寬地限制什么。

　　That raises a good point. Identification is important; people often need it to get financialservices, or a job, or just books from the library. If hundreds of thousands of people in Texasdo not have it, that is a problem that should be fixed. No doubt both parties would agree. Butin the meantime people will, at least, be a little more confident about their ability to vote.

　　這是一個有力的觀點。因為身份認(rèn)證的確很重要，人們時時都需要用它來申請金融服務(wù)，工作，甚至借書。如果德克薩斯成千上萬的人都沒有它，那就是個一定要解決的問題了。毫無疑問在這點上兩黨都必須同意。但是至少在這期間人們更加堅信他們投票的權(quán)利。